The Last Day
by A. N. Mouse
Summary: Narcissa Malfoy always knew it would have to end.


**Hola peole who are awesome and stuff. Yes, yes, I know, I've been away for _quite_ a long time. But, I finally have something new :)**

**It's just a oneshot, a small, little 1197 word outpouring of my imagination, but I'm finally posting it. **

**The EXPLANATORY BUBBLE: Okay, this is a new thing I think I'm going to add to the beginning of my stories (whenever I post one) explaining something in the story. So, if say I think that something will be confusing to the reader (because I understand my mind, but I'm not sure if anyone else does), I would write in an explanation here. Or I will explain how I got the idea for a story or something like that :) So, here goes.**

**I don't quite remember how I came up with this idea. I know it was in the middle of the night. I was up late watching Youtube videos about the Black family and I think I just got hit with the idea of Cissy and James. I mean, because _everybody_ does Lucius and Severus and all the other Slytherins with James. Why not try it out with a girl for once?**

**PS - I'm not trying to diss slash here, I absolutely adore some of them, but sometimes I feel like that's all I ever see anymore besides Dramione, and I felt the need to write something that was a little off the beaten path, if you know what I mean :)**

**Enjoy!**

The castle was dark, and as the students slept all around her, Narcissa Black kept watch.

He didn't come every night, but it was close enough that she was sure she would see him. He liked to sneak around the castle at night, too, only he didn't do it alone. That was why she had never approached him, well, that and another, rather tiny, little reason.

He was always with his friends: her cousin, that Lupin boy, and Pettigrew. Whenever she saw them sneaking around at night they were together. Generally, by the time they reached her hiding spot, they were certain they wouldn't be caught and they let their caution fly to the wind.

She saw the way he looked at Lily Evans and that was part of it too. Another reason she'd never spoken to him, not to mention the fact that she was a Slytherin and he hated Slytherins, was that he was almost the complete opposite of Sirius' easy charisma, charm and popularity with women, James was a loner. He hadn't had a girlfriend in the whole of his time at Hogwarts and by now all of the girls had realized that they would never be able to compete with Evans.

But something still drew her to him. All of the other girls may have given up, but something kept her coming back, night after night, to this same spot just to catch a glimpse of him.

A small noise made her jump, startling her out of her thoughts, like a small pebble scuttling across the floor. Slowly, she peered around the corner into the hallway, and her brow crinkled in confusion.

There was nothing there.

Nothing and no one could be seen.

Narcissa stood up, and took a tentative step out into the hallway, looking for the source of the noise. She didn't see anything and so she took another step, and then another, until she was standing in the middle of the hall, looking around perplexedly.

A small swish sounded behind her, and a hand closed over her mouth while another grabbed her around the middle. The person maneuvered the two of them over to the wall, and then spun her around, pinning her against it while still keeping a hand over her mouth.

By now the initial shock that had frozen her limbs was wearing off and Narcissa had begun to panic. What was going on? She starting wriggling and squirming, trying to get away. She looked up at her captor's face and stopped.

It was James Potter. James Potter was holding her up against a wall. What alternate universe had she landed in where he even recognized she existed?

"Why are you spying on me?" he asked harshly. Then, when he realized that she couldn't speak because he had his hand held over her mouth, he grimaced. "Erm, right. Promise you won't scream?"

She almost smirked. He obviously had never interrogated someone before. She nodded a little and he drew his hand away.

"Now, why are you spying on me?" he asked again.

"I like to." She replied simply. It was the only true answer she could give that wouldn't totally give her away.

"Wha –" he didn't seem prepared for that answer. "Uh, you like to?"

"Yes, I enjoy watching you in a way that I know no one else probably ever has." She stated it simply, as though she were telling him that today was a Thursday.

James was dumbfounded. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she _liked_ spying on him.

"Why?" he asked.

"You are intriguing." Narcissa answered, being purposefully vague. She smirked inwardly at how this must be torturing him.

Then, in a completely unanticipated move, James let her go and started laughing. He moved away and walked down the hall, still chuckling to himself, leaving Narcissa standing in the middle of the hallway wondering what the hell had just happened.

The next morning, Narcissa was sitting at the Slytherin table, as usual, across from Severus Snape and next to him, Lucius Malfoy. She wished she could be sitting with Andy, or even Bella right now, but her parents had decreed that she should have breakfast with Lucius every day because they were going to be married after Hogwarts, and they needed to get to know one another.

Narcissa thought it was just another way for them to make sure she was being a good little pureblood while at school.

That was the other, teeny, _tiny_ little thing that was holding her back from going after Potter. She was betrothed. Engaged to be married to none other than Lucius Malfoy, perfect pureblood Slytherin, with the name, the fortune, and all the power. Her parents had arranged it with his two summers ago, without consulting either of them.

Her parents expected her to be perfect now, no more dating, or seeing other boys at school. That was unacceptable. If she was seen talking to men not her betrothed, other people might think she was a slag and they couldn't have that. Of course, Lucius had no restrictions of the sort. He could go around with as many other girls as he liked without any of the consequences.

She grabbed a piece of toast off of the plate in front of her and smeared strawberry jam on it while she listened to Lucius and Snape talk about the essay due today in Potions. She sighed, and settled down to another long breakfast of listening to them debate the miniscule differences between the effects of daisy petals harvested on the full moon and the new moon.

She leaned her elbow on the table and leaned her head on it, eating the toast slowly, her eyes wandering over the rest of the Great Hall. Lily Evans was doing something homework related at the Gryffindor table, scribbling on a piece of paper furiously as she ate. Marlene McKinnon was sitting next to her, looking at her bemusedly and eating scrambled eggs with a fork. The Marauders were doing something stupid and immature with their breakfasts like always, and it seemed to require seeing who could make the most disgusting combination of the foods the house elves sent up and then eating it without puking.

Suddenly, James looked up at her, looking her directly in the eye. She looked away quickly down at her plate, and then sat up straight, making sure her posture was perfect.

When she was sure he wouldn't be looking anymore, she looked up again. Lucius and Sev were still going on about Potions, not even paying her any attention.

She glanced at the Gryffindor table. The Marauders were leaving, and as she watched James get up and walk out of the Great Hall with his friends, she smiled a small, sad smile.

She would never approach him again. She was betrothed, and he had his sights set on a girl who would be much better at making him happy than she ever could. As intriguing as he was, they would never work out.

And that was the last day she watched him.

**So, there it was, did you guys like it? Did it make you kind of saddish? Did you want to scream at me and say "No, Mouse, that could never have happened! Obviously James was totally in love with Snape the WHOLE TIME!"?**

**Huh? Did you guys hear me? What did you think! I would love to know! Reviews just keep me going through the weeks and months and years of boring school stuff. Honestly, a review brings a smile to my face as soon as I see I have one (even if it is critisism. Unless it's just a flame, then I will read it, consider it, and laugh my patootie off at whoever was dumb enough to go on without an open mind.)**

**So, please please pretty please with a cherry on top click the review button and share your thoughts with the world! :)**


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